Conventional devices for parking assistance are designed to take over the lateral and longitudinal control of a vehicle in the course of the implementation of parking maneuvers. Parking maneuvers typically begin with a search phase, during which the dimensions of an available parking space are captured. In the case where a suitable parking space has been found, the parking-assistance device calculates a vehicle trajectory as well as suitable set values, typically for the vehicle speed and the steering angle. Finally, the respective system starts the automated control of the vehicle on the basis of the calculated set values.
In this connection, autonomous parking on a curb represents a demanding challenge. Depending on the length of the parking space and the height of the edge of the curb, the respective system must be capable of demanding additional torque for the purpose of overcoming the edge of the curb. At the same time, the respective system has to ensure an exact activation of the brakes, in order to avoid excessive speed values, for instance in the case of a tight parking space. The precise knowledge of the presence and position of curbs can therefore result in an improvement of the accuracy and comfort of a parking maneuver, in the course of which abrupt movements of the vehicle can be avoided, for example.
In principle, the respective dimensions of the parking space are captured via parking sensors which are conventionally based on ultrasound technology. The capture of curbs or such like represents a demanding challenge for conventional ultrasound-based parking sensors, in which connection the capture of a curb may also fail, depending on the type, effectiveness and orientation of such ultrasonic sensors.
From DE 10 2013 220 931 A1 a method and a device, among other things, are known for assisting the driving of a motor vehicle onto a curb, wherein a curb located in the neighborhood of the motor vehicle is captured in sensor-based manner and an automatic adaptation of the speed of the vehicle takes place during the driving onto the curb.
With respect to the further state of the art, reference is made, in exemplary manner, to DE 10 2011 118 726 A1 and DE 10 2014 208 917 A1.